The field of the invention is generally that of microscopes and, more particularly, the type of microscope requiring a relatively large range of adjustment of an intermediate work stage adapted to be positioned in an intermediate focusing plane. This particular type of microscope is frequently used for microscopic assembly and/or repair work in connection with what is known as integrated circuits and/or printed circuits where minute effective circuit components and inter-connecting effective circuit leads are initially produced and subsequently inspected while being viewed through a microscope, usually of the binocular eyepiece type, although not specifically so limited. If the printed or integrated circuit extends over a substantial lateral distance, it will be necessary to adjust the intermediate work stage in either an x or y direction, or both, while maintaining its position in a horizontal focusing plane. The magnitude of the positional adjustment may greatly exceed that provided for and permissable in the work stage of many conventional prior art microscopes where relatively small movement, other than focusing movement is possible. Thus, a relatively deep-throated microscope stand is required in order to make possible the larger magnitude adjusting movement of the intermediate work stage which is desired in such a specialized field of use of such a microscope. Most prior art microscopes and microscope stands if either initially designed for, or substantially modified for, the abovementioned specialized type of use, have a very substantial tendency to defocus frequently as a consequence of the effect of various types of external environmental conditions, such as external vibration or the like and this is extremely disconcerting to a worker who is viewing a workpiece on the intermediate work stage either in a stationary position or after it has been transversely adjusted in the x or y direction from an initial accurately focused position. Whenever such undesired defocusing action occurs, it is immediately necessary for such a worker to attempt to readjust the relative positions of the microscope optics and the intermediate work stage so as to bring the workpiece surface back into sharp focus. This is sometimes difficult to do promptly because the worker does not even know in which direction the adjusting re-focusing action should take place and considerable experimental adjustment may be necessary before sharp focus is again regained. It would be highly desirable to provide a microscope stand capable of retrofitting engagement with respect to one or more standard set of microscope optics and/or intermediate work stages and which would provide for the desired maximized movement of the work stage in both x and y directions in an intermediate focusing plane and of a greatly enhanced effective stiffness-to-weight ratio and greatly enhanced strength-to-weight ratio whereby to greatly minimize or substantially entirely eliminate the above mentioned type of accidental and undesired defocusing action. It is precisely such a highly desirable and advantageous type of microscope stand which is provided by and in the present invention, and which has advantages of the type referred to above virtually completely overcoming problems, disadvantages, and limitations of the above-mentioned type of prior art microscope and microscope stand constructions, and wherein all of said advantages flow from and occur by reason of, the specific features of the invention pointed out hereinafter.